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IRAQ

“We
Feel Deserted By the International Gay Community” – Gay Iraqis

“Few People Seem to Care About Our Fate”

Three Iraq Safe Houses for Gays Forced To Close

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“Several months ago, two lesbians
working with Iraqi LGBT were assassinated in the safe house they were
running in Najaf, along with a young boy the women had rescued from the sex
industry.”

■ You can make a donation to help keep
the remaining safe houses for gay people in Iraq via credit card/PayPay
- click on logo above.

LONDON and BAGHDAD, November 6,
2007 – Three out of the five gay safe houses for gay people in Iraq are
being forced to close down, due to a lack of funds to pay their rent and
utility bills, the London-based Iraqi LGBT revealed this afternoon.

The refuges were set up two years
ago, to provide a place of safety for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) Iraqis who have fled homophobic threats and attempts to kill them by
religious fundamentalists and death squads.

“Iraqi LGBT has made a huge effort
to keep all of its five safe houses running, to provide refuge for gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender Iraqis who have fled homophobic violence
and threats to kill them,” said Ali Hili, founder and coordinator of the
human rights group, Iraqi LGBT.

“Many of the people we helped have
been targeted by the Iraqi police and by Shia militia and other
fundamentalist factions.

“Because of a lack of funds, three
safe houses have had to close their doors.

“This decision will break a lot of
hearts, but we have no other choice. We don’t have the financial support to
sustain these refuges.

“Over 30 gay residents who we cared
for in these three safe houses now have to take their chances in a country
where religious militia regularly seek out gays and execute them.

“Several months ago, two lesbians
working with Iraqi LGBT were assassinated in the safe house they were
running in Najaf, along with a young boy the women had rescued from the sex
industry.

“We feel deserted by the
international gay community. Few people seem to care about our fate,” Mr.
Hili said.

“Many brave LGBT Iraqis assisted
our efforts. We would like to acknowledge their exceptional commitment.

“Sabah, Gada, Sana and Mona are
four lesbians who dedicated their time and energy to provide food, cleaning
and support to people in the safe houses in their area.

“It’s members inside Iraq are
taking huge personal risks to protect the victims of homophobic
persecution,” he pointed out.

“Their efforts are truly
inspirational.

“I urge the international LGBT
community to rally round and raise the funds needed to sustain the remaining
two safe houses. Please give generously,” he urged.

Meanwhile, Iraqi LGBT blames the
Western invasion and occupation of their country for unleashing religious
fanaticism and causing the current homophobic killing spree:

“Much of the world failed to oppose
the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and to prevent what has turned out to be the
worst western intervention catastrophe in modern history,” added Mr Hili.

“The Iraqi gay community feels
badly let down in our moment of need.

“Are gay people in the United
States, Britain and Australia aware of what their governments have done to
our country?

“Their armies invaded and occupied
our land, destroyed the infrastructure of government, and created the chaos
and lawlessness that has allowed religious fundamentalism to flourish and to
terrorise woman and gay people.

“Violence against gays has
intensified sharply since late 2005, when Iraq’s leading Shiite Muslim
cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, issued a fatwa, or religious decree,
which declared that gays and lesbians should be ‘killed in the worst, most
severe way possible’.

“Since then, LGBT people have been
specifically targeted by the Madhi Army, the militia of fundamentalist Shia
cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, as well as by the Badr organisation and other Shia
death squads. Badr is the military arm of the Supreme Council for Islamic
Revolution in Iraq, which is one of the leading political forces in
Baghdad's western-backed ruling coalition,” said Mr Hili.

OutRage! is working with Iraqi LGBT
to support its work. Iraqi LGBT is coordinated by Ali Hili from the safety
of London UK.

The group does not have its own
bank account. Operating an Iraqi LGBT bank account in Baghdad would be
suicide. For this reason, it has to operate its finances from London.

All the group’s members in London
are Iraqi refugees seeking asylum. Their lack of proper legal status makes
it impossible for them to open a bank account in the UK.

This is why Iraqi LGBT is asking
that cheques be made payable to “OutRage!”, with a cover note marked “For
Iraqi LGBT”, and sent to OutRage!, PO Box 17816, London SW14 8WT, England,
UK.

OutRage! then forwards the
donations received to Ali Hili and Iraqi LGBT for wire transfer to activists
in Baghdad.

■ Since mid-September, just £1,300 (about
$2,700) has been raised. That is enough to finance ONE House
accommodating 10 gay people for about SIX weeks. This includes rent,
food, water/electricity and the all-important security guards.

Two ‘Safe
Houses’ for Gays in Iraq Set To Close for Lack of Donations. Up to 25
gay men will next month have to ‘take their chances’ in Iraq where religious
militia regularly seek out gays and execute them. Two ‘safe houses’ for
gays will be forced to close at the end month – due to lack of cash, it was
learned last night. (UK Gay News, October 17, 2007)

Cash Crisis
Puts Doubt on Future of ‘Safe Houses’ for Gays in Iraq. Iraqi LGBT
is facing a cash crisis in their efforts to assist lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgendered people in Iraq. For over a year, Friends of Iraqi
LGBT has been trying to help by funding safe houses in Iraq for those who
have come to the attention of the death squads and who have consequently had
to flee their homes. (UK Gay News, September 15, 2007)

For Gays in Iraq, a Life of Constant Fear. By Molly Hennessy-Fiske.
BAGHDAD — Samir Shaba sits in a restaurant, nervously describing gay life in
Iraq. He speaks in a low voice, occasionally glancing over his shoulder.
(Los Angeles Times, August 5, 2007)

More Gays Executed. Iraqi lesbians and gays continue to be
subjected a systematic reign of terror by Shia death squads, Ali Hili, the
coordinator of the human rights group Iraqi LGBT, said in London this
morning. Warning - there is a graphic image on this page.
(UK Gay News, April 4, 2007)

Iraqi Police Execute “Gay” Child in Baghdad.Gay human rights group Outrage! has today accused Iraqi
police of executing a 14 year old boy in the al-Dura district of Baghdad in
early April. (UK Gay News, May 4, 2006)

Ahmed’s Story – A Cruel, Barbaric Death.
By
Ali Hili. Ahmed Khalil was a likeable, playful 14 year old boy, born in the
southern Iraqi town of al-Ammara. The eldest child, he came from an
uneducated family who lived in great poverty. (UK Gay News, May 4, 2006)

Focus on Teens Trapped In Commercial Gay Sex Trade in
Iraq. Hassan Feiraz, a 16-year-old boy, has started a desperate new
life since being forced into the sex trade in Baghdad, joining a growing
number of adolescents soliciting in Iraq under the threat of street gangs or
the force of poverty. “Every day I cry at night,” Feiraz said. “I’m a
homosexual and was forced to work as a prostitute because one of the people
I had sex with took pictures of me in bed and said that, if I didn't work
for him, he was going to send the pictures to my family.” (UK
Gay News, August 8, 2005)